"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." - Genesis 2:24

To Cleave

January 9, 2009

The eight-year-old girl was cuddled on the sofa with her parents, munching on a big bowl of popcorn and watching the video of their wedding. She found the whole process fascinating! She contributed her own play-by-play analysis during the “show,” pelting her parents with observations and questions. Her unique perspective was particularly displayed during the exchange of vows. When the preacher asked “Will you take this man for richer or poorer?” the little girl looked up at her mom and commented, “So, I guess you chose ‘poorer,’ huh?”

Contrary to the thoughts and practices of many people today, the wedding vows really aren’t multiple choice questions. The vows are actually a description of the commitment God expects us to make when we join with our mate. The King James translation uses the word cleave. What a wonderful term to describe this commitment! Cleave forms a picture of being bonded together, being so tight that nothing can separate the relationship. And that is why many wedding ceremonies go into such detail describing the inseparability of a God-made marriage. Through those vows, we commit to always cleave, and promise to stick together no matter what the challenge, in a manner and for a union that was designed by God Himself.